Self-propelled apparatus



Sept 27, i932. J, W, PAGE 1,879,446

SELF PRPELLED APPARATUS Sept. 27, 1932. J. W. PAGE SELF PROPELLED APPARATUS l2 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 LL- 7 @gaz Sept. 27, 1932.

J. w. PAGE 1,879,446

SELF-PROPELLED APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet, 3

,o N N UI \1\ v /N sept. 27, i932. J, w, PAGE 1,879,446

SELF PROPELLED APPARATUS Filed Feb. l2, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JIUZ Zc/f PC2 e, Z7 k7 Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTY OFFICE JOHN `W. PAGE, 0F GHICAGYOLIVLLINOIS SELF-PROPELLED Arranamus Application led February 12, 1931. Serial No. 515,392.

My invention is applicable for many uses.`

It may be used, for example, in connection with dredging, digging, excavating apparatus, and th-e like. It may also be used for pile-drivers, cranes, derricks and similar devices; and, in fact, in connection with any apparatus which is tobe self-propelled. For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have here shown it embodied in a self-propelled drag-line bucket excavator.

My improved self-propelled apparatus is simple in construction and operation; and'yet strong, rugged and durable.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my specification.

In that form of device embodying the features of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a view taken as indicated by the line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view taken as indicated by the line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a viewtaken as indicated by the line 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation; Fig; 6 is a view on an enlarged scale of the shoe at the forward endl of the apparatus; Fig. 7 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus; and Figs. S, 9, 10 and 11 arediagrammatic views showing the walking motion. i

It may be stated that the apparatus iii-v cludes, in general, a main frame with a platform, or support designed primarily for carrying the dredging, excavating,.lifting or other mechanism, fcrtlie movement of which the invention is employed. An auxiliary frame is mounted on the main frame; 'relative horizontal sliding movement between the two frames beingr permitted; and each frame is designed to carry the otherin elevated position. Elevating members are provided on the auxiliary frame. Operating means'is provided for simultaneously tending to elevate the auxiliary frame andl to cause rela` tive sliding movement between the two frames. The result of this is that if this means is operated forwardly, it will first cause the auxiliary frame to be elevated until the main frame is raised from the ground or resting lightly thereon; and continuedoperation vwill then cause the main frame to be moved forwardly on the auxiliary frame, said main frame sliding on the ground or moving above it. Reverse movement of the operating means will simultaneously tend m to;A raise the elevating means on the auxiliary frame and urge relative sliding movement between the frames in a reverse direction.

The result of this is that when the elevating members on the auxiliary frame are raised a olf of the lground or reach the limit of their upward movement, continued reverse movement of the operating means will move the auxiliary frame forwardly on the main frame. i

VMea-ns are also provided for locking the two frames against relative sliding movement, and for locking the elevating members on the auxiliary frame; so that the operating and shall refer to this as forward As shown in the drawings, 10 indicates, in general, a main frame provided with a platform or support l()a for carrying any desired mechanism. This frame may include `inner vertical posts 10b and outer vertical posts 10 on each side, the upper ends of said posts being connected by suitable members 10d. The posts on the two sides may be connected by suitable bridging members or trusses 10.

The main frame may be mounted on a turntable 11 which may carry a suitable base or support 12.

Between the posts 10b and 10c of the main frame on each side of the apparatus is located one side member 13a ofthe auxiliary 'frame referred to, in general, by 13. The

ends of the members 13a may be connected by cross members or trusses 13b.

Upper rollers 14 are provided for carrying the main frame on the auxiliary frame when the latter is elevated; and lower rollers 15 support the auxiliary frame slidably on the main frame when the elevating members are raised. The rollers 14 and- 15 both are mounted on the main frame 10. `The auxiliary frame 13 is slidably moun'ted'between these rollers. In this way, either frame-if elevated will carrythe other. That is if the main frame 1() is elevated, the auxiliaryI frame will rest on the rollers 15. If the auxiliary frame is elevated, the main-'frame will be carried on the rollers 14. See Fig. 2.

The means for elevating the auxiliary frame include four spuds, or vertically movable legs, the two in front being indicated by 16, 16 and the two in back by 17, 17. The two in front have their lower ends joined by a bridging member 16a carrying a shoe 161 by the universal joint 16C. Each of the two in back carries a similar smaller shoe 17a.

Each of the spuds orlegs is yprovided with a rack bar adapted to be operated by a pinion to raise or lower it. Such rack and pin ion on one of the front legs are indicated by 18 and 19, respectively, in Fig. 4; it being understood that there is a similar construction on each side. The pinions for operating the legs 17 are indicated by 2O in Fig. 3.

Since the operating,r means on each side is similar, I need describe in detail only that on one side. The pinions 19 are adapted to be driven from the sprockets 21 through the train of gears 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27. The pinions are adapted to be driven 'from the Sprockets 28 through the train of gears 29, 30, 31 and 32.

The sprockets 21 and 28 on each side are connected by an endless chain 33 adapted to be driven by the sprocket 34 on the main frame. Any suitable means may be provided for driving the sprockets 34, such as the wheel 35 on the same shaft 36, driven by the chain or belt 37 operated by a wheel 38 driven by an engine on the platform 10a.

It will be seen that operation of the sprockets 34 forwardly (in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1) will simultaneouslytend to lower the legs 16 and 17 and slide the main frame 10 forwardly (to the left) on the auxiliary frame 13. When the sprockets are thus operated, ,the legs 16 and auxiliary frame forwardly (to the left) on the main frame.

Means are also provided for locking the frames against relative sliding movement and for locking movement of the legs 16 and 17 so that the sprockets 34, when operated, will perform solely one of these operations or the other. For locking the frames, I provide the rack bars 40 on the main frame meshing -with the pinions 41 on the auxiliary frame,

said pinions 41 being mounted on a shaft 42 carrying a brake drum 43 controlled by a band brake 44. I can lock movement of the legs 16 by suitable drums 45 on the shaft 46 Vcarrying the sprocketsv 21, said drums be- 'the apparatus as shown in Fig. 8, the

operating means is driven forwardly. This first lowers the legs to lift the main frame, as shown in Fig. 9. The elevation shown in Fig. 9 is somewhat exaggerated over the normal; although any desired elevation may be obtained by holding the brakes 44 to prevent forward sliding movement of the main frame. Continued forward movement of the operating means, with suliicient release of the brakes 44 will slide the main frame 10 forwardly, as shown in Fig. 10. Reverse rotation will then lift the legs to let the main frame rest on the ground, as shown in Fig. 11, and continued reverse rotation will slide the auxiliary frame forward, as shown in Fig. 8. The. cycle just described can be repeated at will.

To travel backwardly (to the right), the brakes 44 may be held and the auxiliary frame elevated. The brakes 45 and 49 may then be held and brake 44 released. The sprocket 34 may then be turned in a clockwise direction to slide the main frame to the right. The shift can then be locked and the legs raised. The legs can then be locked and the shift released. Rotation of the sprocket 33 in a counterclockwise direction will then shift the auxiliary frame to the right. The cycle of operations may be repeated at will.

It is to be particularly noted that forward movement of the operating means simultaneously and differentially applies power to the elevating means, tending to raise the auxiliary frame, and urges the main frame forwardly. lReverse movement of the operating means simultaneously and differentially applies power to the elevating means, tending to lower the auxiliary frame, and urges the auxiliary frame forwardly on the main frame. When it is stated that movement of theoperating means diderentially applies power to the elevating means and urges the main frame forwardly, it is meant that the resistances against each of the forces are balanced against each other. That is, power or force is applied differentially to both the elevating and shifting movements and the resistances to these movements are balanced against each other in the. nature of a differential so that the one having the lesser resistance at the time will move more than the other. In other words, it may be stat-ed that since the operating means applies power differentially to the elevating means and the shifting means, either of these is permitted to operate at the expense of the other.

In the operation of the apparatus, therefore, when the operating means is moved forwardly, power is applied to the elevating means and at the same time, and differentially, the main frame is urged forwardly. The resistances to the elevating and to the shift, however, are balanced-against each other so that either movement can be retarded and the power permitted to escape through the other movement. The result of this is that with the apparatus shown in the position indicated in F ig. 8, all that is necessary in the first instance is to startthe operating means in a forward direction. Since the power is applied differentially, the elevating means will first move and there will be no shift at all. This will be due to the fact that there will be practically no resistance to the lowering of the spuds at the start. As the shoes on the spuds encounter the ground, however, and the weight of the apparatus begins to bear against the elevating means, the resistances to their elevation will increase and there will be more force automatically applied to the shift until the resistance opposing the shift is less than the resistance against the elevating means, when the shifting movement will commence. It will be seen by this that the operation of the apparatus is very simple. Merely starting the operating means forwardly will automatically give just enough elevation to permit the shift and will then automatically shift the main frame forwardly.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modications. Changes, therefore, 'in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all nov elty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

The sprockets 34 are carried on the main frame. When these sprockets are rotated to move the chains 33 to lower the legs, such legs will go down until they strike the ground. Further rotation of the sprockets 34 will then tend to raise the auxiliary frame 13 from the ground. This will lift the main frame. Further rotation of the sprockets 34 will then cause said sprockets to roll on the chain instead of -moving the chain on its own sprockets21 and 28.` This rolling of the sprockets 34 on the chains will move the main frame. In the same way, reverse rotation of the sprockets 34 will first lift the legs, whereupon the auxiliary frame will be free to slide. Continued rotation of the sprockets will then either lift the legs to the top of their movement or if they are heavyy enough and the friction is great enough, rotation of the sprockets 34 will move the chains 33 bodily instead of moving them on their sprockets 21 and 28. When said sprockets 34 move said chains bodily, this will cause the auxiliary frame to be shifted. It will be seen, therefore, that rotation of the sprockets 34 simultaneously and differentially applies power to the elevating means and the shifting means. That is, these sprockets tend to move the chains on their sprockets 21 and 28, or to move the chains bodily. Movement of the chains on their own sprockets operates the elevating means. Movement of the chains bodily causes relative shifting of the two frames.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus of the character described, including; amain frame and an auxiliary frame, each slidably mounted on the other and each adapted to carry the other; elevating means on the auxiliary frame; and operating means, forward movement of which differentially applies power to the elevating means tending to raise. the auxiliary frame, and urges the main frame forwardly on the auxiliary frame, and reverse movement of which differentially applies power to the elevating means tending to lower the auxiliary frame, and urges the auxiliary frame forwardly on the main frame.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, with means for locking the elevating means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, with` means for locking the frames against relative movement.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, with means for locking the elevatingl means and with means for locking the frames against relative movement.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in 11i which the elevating means is operated by an endless flexible member on the auxiliary frame, said flexible member being engaged byV a rotary member on the main frame.

6. Apparatus of the character described,

means on the auxiliary frame, said elevating means including two vertically movable legs at each end of the frame, the two legs at one end being joined by a bridging member carrying a shoe, and the two legs at the other end each carrying a shoe.

`7. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, in which the elevating means includes two verticallymovable legs at each end of the auxiliary frame, the two legs at one end being joined by a bridging member carrying a shoe, and the two legs at the other end each carrying a shoe. y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 9th day of February, 1931.

JOHN W. PAGE. 

